Nothing
by BeauteousCupcake
Summary: Bonnie is back from the prison world and nothing feels as it should, she craves the quiet and to heal but she can't. Damon is living through each day by draining a glass, both are drowning until one night.


Nothing.

No one said anything when they saw her standing there, I mean what do you say to a girl who has lived the same day repeatedly with a few minor alterations to survive the insanity of the prison world. Glancing around the witch watched the people she called friends and felt the ache in her chest, solitude had truly changed her. Stefan saw it when she smiled at him at her vibrant green of her eyes was darkened with sadness, he'd seen it before in the Salvatore crypt a month or so back, Damon had looked at him in the same way. Relieved to be home, his brother had also become sheltered and stared into the fire place the glimmer of the flames flickering in his ice blue eyes.

The witch and the vampire had endured too much thanks to the seclusion of the prison world, and Bonnie knew that she was holding onto the sanctuary of the plaid shirt she'd taken to wearing, a little too tight for her own good. Red and black squares one day, and grey and black the next. Only two others recognised who they belonged too, but neither man said anything because nothing needed to be.

Bonnie was back and that was all that mattered. Wasn't it?

Standing in the dark, the petite witch smiled softly at the flames, nothing mattered but them because with one word, she had made the hearth become a beautiful glowing red of flame and ash, she knew she wasn't alone but did it matter now that Kai Parker was there? Or that Damon was standing in the far corner with his breath held? What were they waiting for? She had broken down once and that had nearly ended up with the Camaro's exhaust fumes claiming her breath for good, she'd not been thinking straight until Gram's words 'Stay strong' had resounded in her broken mind and the blinding sunlight had shocked her, somehow she had survived the insanity of melancholy and despair so this? Whatever it is would also pass. Bonnie Bennett was nothing but strong and that meant so much when surrounded by those who didn't know how to talk, how to touch... how to just smile at her without fear that she would crumble or disappear.

_"I''m not blind nor am I deaf despite what you both think and what you put me through Kai. I'm going to be fine I just.."_

The words never came because she had no idea how she was going to be fine, she was trapped between the past and the present, eyes held in the darkness and a silent understanding filled with so much emotion and meaning occurred. A nod and the witch returned to the task of restoring her soul to where it would be safe, to recalling the many things that had happened in the months she was lost to the early nineties with Damon.. then Kai.. then alone. So much silence, the noise in it's peace was too much to bear and it was growing worse here surrounded by people, no one wanted to finish the sentence they directed at her lest the answer be wrong. No one wanted to know the truth to Are you alright Bonnie...? The pretence was what they wanted, and she gave them that. A smile and a flutter of laughter that matched what they said, or a protective hug when she was held by Elena, Caroline just stared and carried on going through the pretence of surviving behind her mask of indifference caused by the lack of humanity in her soul. Despite all she said, Bonnie could understand the need to close down, to not feel it made it so much easier to move on if your heart was cold and mind calm on the present and not the past. If living became existing even only for a few months.

Shaken from her thoughts, she felt his eyes on her, heard the soft tread of boots moving slowly over the floorboards and it was just them again. Kai for once knowing when he wasn't supposed to be there, and that Bonnie needed this moment she deserved it. Laughing without much emotion in the melody, her eyes flitted to the doors of the parlour hearing Kai perform a simple but effective spell to lock the doors, perhaps she owed him a thank you after all? Drawn back to the man whose eyes were searching her own for something, his fingers grazed across her tiny palm catching her hand and keeping her with him in the present and guided her away from the looking glass of despair she saw before her in every flame. The way their fingers traced along the other was slow, a tranquil movement that spoke volumes to them both, these were the hands of the other who had seen so much. Had experienced the mind-numbing pain of simply not knowing whether they wanted to carry on. Here was the one who had seen her cry, seen her scream in utter anguish and despair that she had been denied even after everything, the peace her Grams had spoken of her being allowed.  
Here was the man she had flown into the arms and let her body be surrounded by his warmth, by the scent of cologne that only he wore. Here truly was a man who had changed her and evolved himself into someone she truly recognised as being a man who she loved and no longer mistrusted with her fragility. Standing wrapped in his shirt, she held her breath feeling his arms slide around her, the steady weight of his body against hers making her feel as though protected from the entire world with the tilt of his head into her short hair. A serene moment between a killer and a woman whose heart was breaking and healing all at once, spellbound she held her breath between the release and the inhale allowing her chest to ache and the flicker of pain to remind her once more that she was alive. Truly alive and free from trickery and mind-play of those she hadn't even angered to end up contained in the Hell of 1994 on repeat. He was the only one she couldn't get lost in because as their hands entwined she found herself grounded and praying that the locks never gave.

For the first time in days both lost souls are rescued from what is going on around them, Damon isn't listless and lost to the fire wondering what's going to go wrong for them next, Bonnie isn't curled up in Damon's chair looking blankly at the video player she brought back with her that has the woman on it who looks so like Damon it's undeniable as to who she is. They're whole here together and when she turns in his arms to look into those haunted eyes, Damon smiles for the second time in a year because she's here and she knows him better than anyone except Stefan.. because despite the skin-deep vow to make his life a misery, Damon can never go too far and lose his brother again. The word 'nothing' doesn't apply here because looks say the words that neither can say out loud, both are remembering what happened when the Bodyguard ended for the thousandth time and Damon had broached the subject of dying. Of the prospect that they would have had one last night of living and then there would have been nothing but silence for them both and no one would have truly grieved because they had already done it so long ago. It was enough for them both then to know the other loved them even for a moment and if it was even the smallest of amount? They would have known they mattered.

_"You came back Bonnie, you are here finally. I swore... so many things and I felt I let you down Bon-Bon. I'm sorry and God! Seeing you there after everything that's happened."_

Her finger found his lips, guiding his head down to face her and the breath she was slowly allowing to escape caught his mouth and there it was, the rush of belief when his hands skimmed her spine and they were closer still. Inside and around them was the connection no one could break now and in the tranquillity given to them, she took back was hers. This wasn't goodbye like it had been in the cave and he'd held her as she'd given him the freedom she believed was lost to her, this was a hello and the acceptance that he was in her heart. Brushing fingers through the hair that had been brushed to look good earlier and now was a raven mess around his haunted eyes, Bonnie felt herself fly when strong arms lifted her and brought her home to his body. Entwined around Damon, she began to breathe again, could feel the heat of living without sorrow and regret creep into her veins. Mystic Falls was where she belonged but this, in the arms of the vampire was where she belonged, ignoring the tears that fell and soaked into her warm cheeks, Bonnie finally surrendered the shred of control she thought she needed to him and lost herself in the way his lips marked her own, in how the curl of his tongue caught her own and the sighs of contentment left her wanting to give more. To take more from Damon in the few moments they had before Caroline would appear and no doubt have a blood bath behind her, or Stefan would notice that Damon had moved himself out of the room he had had for so long to one nearer Bonnie. The questions would come but for now, it was their kisses, their touches that mattered and the rest could be answered in one word 'Nothing.'

Nothing was happening when Damon carried her back to the room at the end of the hallway, far away from anyone and lay her down. nothing was happening when he smiled down at her when she traced his face with her finger tips and smiled at how his lips parted to expose his fangs lowered in pleasure. Nothing at all was happening when they lay side by side and the little witch shed her legs of the jeans and lay on his now exposed chest and closed eyes.

Nothing.

Nothing was happening when both realised this was where they belonged.


End file.
